Bottom Line:
All are known to be previously undescribed as a result of a comprehensive study of the genus by DMW.Minthodexiopsis Townsend is proposed by Wood as a new synonym of Spathidexia.A new combination proposed by Wood as a result of the new synonymy is S.flavicornis (Brauer & Bergenstamm) comb. n.

ABSTRACTWe describe seven new species of Spathidexia (Diptera: Tachinidae) reared from Area de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG), northwestern Costa Rica. All were reared from -various species of ACG caterpillars during an ongoing inventory of caterpillars, their food plants and their parasitoids. By coupling morphology, photographic documentation, life history and molecular data, we provide a clear and concise description of each species. All are known to be previously undescribed as a result of a comprehensive study of the genus by DMW. Spathidexiaatripalpus sp. n., Spathidexiajuanvialesi sp. n., Spathidexiamarioburgosi sp. n., Spathidexialuisrobertogallegosi sp. n., Spathidexialuteola sp. n., Spathidexiahernanrodriguezi sp. n. and Spathidexiaaurantiaca sp. n. are all authored and described by Fleming and Wood. Minthodexiopsis Townsend is proposed by Wood as a new synonym of Spathidexia. A new combination proposed by Wood as a result of the new synonymy is S.flavicornis (Brauer & Bergenstamm) comb. n.

Mentions:
Female (Fig. 2d, e, f), head: Frontal vitta dark black, narrowed apically to less than the width of the ocellar triangle, face 10 times as wide as frontal vitta; frontal bristles arise no lower than level of pedicel; yellow hairs lining the margin of the frontal vitta; antenna orange; arista orange and plumose, trichia at least 4 times as long as width of base of arista, tapering at apex of arista; proclinate orbital bristles present; parafrontal entirely silver with minute white hairs over its entire surface; parafacial silver; palpi orange; short row of yellow supravibrissal hairs along facial margin. Thorax: greyish-gold when viewed dorsally with four longitudinal grey vittae, these only slightly visible post-suturally, appearing broken at thoracic suture; three post sutural dorsocentral bristles; scutellum bearing white or yellowish pruinosity over its entirety; legs anterior femur bearing silvery pruinosity, tibiae yellow and hirsute with black tarsi. Wings: pale smoky greyish in color, vein R4+5 setose from node up to r-m; R1 setose along its entire length. Abdomen: abdominal tergites T1+2, and T3 dark shiny black medially, with bright grey band covering 1/3rd or more of tergal surface arising at the anterior margins of abdominal tergites T4 and T5, these bands wrapping around to the underside. Bright yellow blotches appear along T1+2,T3 ending at the margin of T4, resuming along ventral surface of T5; T3, T4 and T5 possessing medial marginal bristles. Lateral marginal bristles on T1+2. Medium length yellow hairs visible over entire body, not as hirsute as males, in particular visible extending from underside of T1+2.

Bottom Line:
All are known to be previously undescribed as a result of a comprehensive study of the genus by DMW.Minthodexiopsis Townsend is proposed by Wood as a new synonym of Spathidexia.A new combination proposed by Wood as a result of the new synonymy is S.flavicornis (Brauer & Bergenstamm) comb. n.

ABSTRACTWe describe seven new species of Spathidexia (Diptera: Tachinidae) reared from Area de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG), northwestern Costa Rica. All were reared from -various species of ACG caterpillars during an ongoing inventory of caterpillars, their food plants and their parasitoids. By coupling morphology, photographic documentation, life history and molecular data, we provide a clear and concise description of each species. All are known to be previously undescribed as a result of a comprehensive study of the genus by DMW. Spathidexiaatripalpus sp. n., Spathidexiajuanvialesi sp. n., Spathidexiamarioburgosi sp. n., Spathidexialuisrobertogallegosi sp. n., Spathidexialuteola sp. n., Spathidexiahernanrodriguezi sp. n. and Spathidexiaaurantiaca sp. n. are all authored and described by Fleming and Wood. Minthodexiopsis Townsend is proposed by Wood as a new synonym of Spathidexia. A new combination proposed by Wood as a result of the new synonymy is S.flavicornis (Brauer & Bergenstamm) comb. n.